Systems and methods for providing an integrated identifier

ABSTRACT

Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods to streamline the mechanism by which data users access differently regulated data through the use of one or more integrated identifiers. The integrated identifiers lessen or eliminate the need to separately maintain one set of identifiers for regulated data and another set for non-regulated data. The methods and systems may be applicable in various credit and healthcare contexts where regulations over data use are prevalent. In one or more embodiments, a data user receives a unique integrated identifier for each of the data user&#39;s current or prospective customers, and the integrated identifiers can be used to persistently identify and track the customers over time and across applications that access regulated and/or non-regulated data. In the healthcare context, a healthcare provider may utilize a patient ID as the integrated identifier. To protect privacy, the integrated identifier may not include social security numbers or birthdates.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/617,062, filed on Feb. 9, 2015, entitled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN INTEGRATED IDENTIFIER,” which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/673,918,filed on Nov. 9, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ANINTEGRATED IDENTIFIER,” which is a continuation application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/493,115, filed on Jun. 26, 2009, entitled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN INTEGRATED IDENTIFIER,” whichclaims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/076,139 filed on Jun. 26, 2008, entitled “Systems and Methods forProviding an Integrated Identifier.” The entire contents of the abovereference applications are hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference in their entirety. All publications and patent applicationsmentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference intheir entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication orpatent application was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

This disclosure generally relates to data processing, and moreparticularly to methods and systems for providing an integratedidentifier for accessing differently regulated data.

Description of the Related Art

In the United States, the use of personal, credit, and financial data ofconsumers is regulated by at least the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB). For example, under the FCRA,credit data may be used under certain permissible purposes, such as foraccount review purposes when a consumer already has an establishedaccount with a financial institution. In the healthcare field, theHealth Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) governs theuse of patient data. Organizations often need to manage customer orpatient data including different types of data governed by differentlegal requirements, and thus face the challenge of complying with thoserequirements in the management of differently regulated data. Thedifferent legal requirements often lead to the use of parallel andsometimes duplicative data management systems and methods that increasethe transfer of private or sensitive data across systems and networks.Besides increasing costs, the increased transfer also leads to increasedsecurity risks and exposes those organizations to liability for dataprivacy breaches.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments described herein provide data management systems and methodsfor accessing, providing, and/or managing differently regulated data.The data management systems and methods may streamline the mechanism bywhich data users access both regulated and non-regulated data throughthe use of one or more integrated identifiers. An identifier may be analphanumeric string and/or a database record key. It may be encrypted orin clear text. In one or more embodiments an identifier does not containany personally identifiable information. Other embodiments includesystems and methods that allow for the integration of a Customer DataIntegration (CDI) solution with an account review service through theuse of one or more integrated identifiers.

In one embodiment, the integrated identifiers are managed by areconciliation system that (1) reconciles various identifiers in use inregulated and non-regulated data sources into the single integratedidentifiers and (2) resolve the integrated identifiers and translatethem back to the various identifiers for accessing regulated andnon-regulated data sources. The reconciliation and resolution logictakes into account the potential mismatches in the data recordsconcerning the same individual consumers or businesses, including thevarious possibilities when there is not a one-to-one correspondence. Thereconciliation system accomplishes its tasks while maintainingcompliance with various legal requirements concerning regulated data.Therefore, the systems and methods may lessen or eliminate the need toseparately maintain one set of identifiers for regulated data andanother set for non-regulated data. The methods and systems may beapplicable in various credit and healthcare contexts where regulationsover data use are prevalent.

In one embodiment, a data user receives a unique integrated dataidentifier for each of the data user's current or prospective customers,which may be individual consumers or businesses. The integrated dataidentifiers can be used by the data user to persistently identify andtrack the customers over time and across software applications. Theintegrated data identifier can also be accurately and consistentlytranslated within a data provider (such as a credit bureau) to link anddeliver corresponding consumer and business data within the varyingasset databases and services maintained by the data provider. In thehealthcare context, a healthcare provider or an insurer may utilize apatient ID as the integrated identifier. In one or more embodiments, toprotect privacy, the integrated identifier does not include personalinformation such as social security numbers or birthdates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments will now be described with reference to thefollowing drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an integrated identifier reconciliationsystem according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a system for providing and utilizingintegrated identifiers according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a flow diagram showing a method for reconciling integratedidentifiers according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2C is a flow diagram showing a method for resolving integratedidentifiers according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a system for providing and utilizingintegrated identifiers in accordance with another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intendedto be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner, simply becauseit is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description ofcertain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodimentsof the invention may include several novel features, no single one ofwhich is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which isessential to practicing the inventions described herein.

Various companies store information about their customers in acollection of systems and databases. Customer data integration (“CDI”)solutions, such as Experian's Truvue solution, synchronize recordsacross multiple business units and databases to deliver a more complete,consistent and accurate view of customers over time. One advantage of aCDI solution may be that it can integrate thousands of reliable andverifiable data sources (collectively referred to as “customer data”)into one or more large intelligent reference databases. With links tothousands of contributors of reliable and verifiable data, informationmay be updated continually. When combined with vast name and addresshistory stored by a credit bureau, these links may give a data userentity that uses the CDI the ability to accurately identify and linkcomprehensive data to their customers.

Many data users, such as credit card issuers, banks, utility companies,and other commercial entities, for example, need to manage customerdata. In addition, these data users often access regulated data such ascredit data, sometimes in conjunction with one or more access operationsinvolving non-regulated customer data. For example, a card issuer maywish to use non-regulated customer data for marketing purposes andregulated credit data for processing new credit applications. Onedifficulty these data users encounter is the divergent methods of accessthat are needed due to the different regulations restricting the use ofcertain data. Other data users in fields such as healthcare may alsoface the same challenge in their data management practices. For example,a healthcare provider or an insurer may face one set of legalrequirements with regard to patient data (e.g., HIPPA) and another setof requirements with regard to the use of credit data related to thosepatients (e.g., FCRA). For example, a pharmacy may need to manage threetypes of regulated data: medical data, insurance data, and credit data.

Typically the legal requirements limit use of data to certainpermissible purposes, and as a result the different legal requirementsoften lead to the use of parallel and sometimes duplicative datamanagement systems and methods that cannot be cross-referenced. Forexample, if a credit card company purchased a marketing list (usuallynon-regulated) containing prospective customers and wished to check thelist against its current account holders in a regulated credit database,legal requirements may require the company to assign identifiers to theprospective customers on the marketing list, assign the same identifiersto its list of current account holders, and then compare the two lists.However, according to certain embodiments discussed herein, the creditcard company may provide the list of prospective customers to a systemthat will automatically resolve, in a compliance manner, to the properintegrated identifiers that also correspond to the identifiers used inthe regulated credit database.

Embodiments described herein provide data management systems and methodsfor accessing, providing, and/or managing differently regulated data.The data management systems and methods streamline the mechanism bywhich data users access both regulated and non-regulated data throughthe use of one or more integrated identifiers. An identifier may be analphanumeric string and/or a database record key. It may be encrypted orin clear text. In one or more embodiments an identifier does not containany personally identifiable information. Other embodiments includesystems and methods that allow for the integration of a Customer DataIntegration (CDI) solution with an account review service through theuse of one or more integrated identifiers. Embodiments may also ensurethat the use of these regulated data in the integrated environment isstill consistent with the legal requirements concerning use. In oneembodiment, the systems and methods are configured to comply withvarious federal and state legislations.

In addition, the systems and methods may minimize or reduce the need totransfer consumer private data to the data provider, for example, forthe purpose of conducting the account review services or other services.The systems and methods may also help identify other serviceopportunities for improving efficiency and/or quality, as well as otherservices that can utilize the integrated identifier.

Integrated Identifier

Embodiments employ one or more integrated identifiers for the interfaceand delivery of multiple products and services derived from various datasources, including but not limited to those from a data provider such asa credit bureau.

In one embodiment, a data user (e.g., a client of the credit bureau or aclient of a data provider) can receive a unique integrated identifierfor each of the data user's current or prospective customers, which maybe a consumer or a business. Other data providers may include insurancecompanies, healthcare providers, etc. The unique integrated identifierscan be used by the data user to persistently identify and track bothregulated and/or non-regulated data associated with its customers overtime and across applications. In one embodiment, a credit processingsoftware application may interface with a data provider, such as acredit bureau, that delivers consumer and business data from within theregulated and/or non-regulated databases and services maintained by thedata provider. In the healthcare context, a healthcare provider or aninsurer may utilize a patient ID as the integrated identifier. In one ormore embodiments, to protect privacy, the integrated identifier does notinclude personal information such as social security numbers orbirthdates. In one embodiment, the integrated identifier is from a dataprovider, and in one embodiment the integrated identifier is from a datauser. The integrated identifier may be an existing identifier in eitherthe data user or the data provider's database, or a new identifier.

In one embodiment, existing marketing data services solutioninfrastructure and/or customer database solutions may be used as aplatform for building and maintaining a cross reference betweencorresponding consumers on a truth database (e.g., Experian MarketingServices' Truth Database) and a credit database maintained by a creditbureau (e.g., Experian's File One Database).

One or more embodiments are configured so that the use of designedintegrated identifiers does not change the regulatory status of any ofthe credit bureau's core asset database(s). In one embodiment, theintegrated identifier includes safeguards that will prohibit it frombeing incorrectly used or referenced within the data provider's andwithin the data user's systems and applications. In one embodiment usedin the credit context, the system prevents the integrated identifierfrom being used as an alternative identifier for defining a consumerassociated with a credit account when reporting account updates to acredit bureau's primary credit database. Instead, updates need to complywith consumer credit reporting standards, such as the “Metro2” standarddefined by the Associated Credit Bureaus, Inc (ACB).

Computing System

In some embodiments, the systems, computer clients and/or serversdescribed herein take the form of a computing system as shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which computingsystem 100 is in communication with a network 160 and various systemsare also in communication with the network 160. The computing system 100may be used to implement systems and methods described herein. Forexample, the computing system 100 may be configured to receive financialand demographic information regarding individuals and generate reportsand/or alerts for one or more clients. Although the description providedherein refers to individuals, consumers, or customers, the terms“individual,” “consumer,” and “customer” should be interpreted toinclude applicants, or groups of individuals or customers or applicants,such as, for example, married couples or domestic partners,organizations, groups, and business entities.

The computing system 100 includes, for example, a server or personalcomputer that is IBM, Macintosh, or Linux/Unix compatible. In oneembodiment, the computing system 100 comprises a server, a laptopcomputer, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a kiosk, or anaudio player, for example. In one embodiment, the exemplary computingsystem 100 includes one or more central processing unit (“CPU”) 105,which may include a conventional microprocessor. The computing system100 further includes one or more memory 130, such as random accessmemory (“RAM”) for temporary storage of information and a read onlymemory (“ROM”) for permanent storage of information, and a mass storagedevice 120, such as a hard drive, diskette, or optical media storagedevice. Typically, the modules of the computing system 100 are connectedto the computer using a standard based bus system. In differentembodiments, the standard based bus system could be Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (“PCI”), Microchannel, Small Computer System Interface(“SCSI”), Industrial Standard Architecture (“ISA”) and Extended ISA(“EISA”) architectures, for example. In addition, the functionalityprovided for in the components and modules of computing system 100 maybe combined into fewer components and modules or further separated intoadditional components and modules.

The computing system 100 is generally controlled and coordinated byoperating system software, such as Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT,Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Unix, Linux, SunOS,Solaris, or other compatible operating systems. In Macintosh systems,the operating system may be any available operating system, such as MACOS X. In other embodiments, the computing system 100 may be controlledby a proprietary operating system. Conventional operating systemscontrol and schedule computer processes for execution, perform memorymanagement, provide file system, networking, I/O services, and provide auser interface, such as a graphical user interface (“GUI”), among otherthings.

The exemplary computing system 100 includes one or more commonlyavailable input/output (I/O) devices and interfaces 110, such as akeyboard, mouse, touchpad, and printer. In one embodiment, the I/Odevices and interfaces 110 include one or more display device, such as amonitor, that allows the visual presentation of data to a user. Moreparticularly, a display device provides for the presentation of GUIs,application software data, and multimedia presentations, for example.The computing system 100 may also include one or more multimedia devices140, such as speakers, video cards, graphics accelerators, andmicrophones, for example.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the I/O devices and interfaces 110 providea communication interface to various external devices. In the embodimentof FIG. 1, the computing system 100 is electronically coupled to anetwork 160, which comprises one or more of a LAN, WAN, or the Internet,for example, via a wired, wireless, or combination of wired andwireless, communication link 115. The network 160 communicates withvarious computing devices and/or other electronic devices via wired orwireless communication links.

According to FIG. 1, information is provided to computing system 100over the network 160 from one or more data sources including, forexample, credit databases 162. The information supplied by the variousdata sources may include credit data, demographic data, applicationinformation, product terms, accounts receivable data, and financialstatements, for example. In addition to the devices that are illustratedin FIG. 1, the network 160 may communicate with other data sources orother computing devices. In addition, the data sources may include oneor more internal and/or external data sources. In some embodiments, oneor more of the databases or data sources may be implemented using arelational database, such as Sybase, Oracle, CodeBase and Microsoft® SQLServer as well as other types of data structures such as, for example, aflat file database, an entity-relationship database, and object-orienteddatabase, and/or a record-based database.

In addition to supplying data, client 164 may further requestinformation from the computing system 100. For example, the client 164may request data related to a consumer or a group of consumers. Such arequest may include consumer information identifying the consumer(s) forwhich information is desired. The client may also provide updates to theone or more databases shown in the figure. For example, the client 164may send, to the computing system 100, new account information when acustomer opens a new credit card account so that one or more credit ornon-credit databases reflects the customer's new account.

The I/O devices and interfaces 110 further provide a communicationinterface to an internal credit database 172. In the embodiment of FIG.1, the computing system 100 is coupled to a secured network 161, such asa secured LAN, for example. The system 100 may communicate with theinternal credit database 172 through a secured network (not shown), forexample. In some embodiments, the internal credit database 172 isconfigured to communicate with additional computing devices over thenetwork 160 or some other network, such as a LAN, WAN, and/or theInternet via a wired, wireless, or combination of wired and wireless,communication link. In certain embodiments, the client 164 may haveaccess to the internal credit database 172 through the network 160.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the computing system 100 also includes anintegrated identifier management module 150 that may be executed by theCPU 105. This module may include, by way of example, components, such assoftware components, object-oriented software components, classcomponents and task components, processes, functions, attributes,procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware,microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays,and variables.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the computing system 100 isconfigured to execute integrated identifier management module 150, amongothers, in order to reconcile identifiers and personal identificationnumbers associated with respective customers among the internal creditdatabase 172, credit databases 162, and/or non-credit databases 192. Thereconciliation process associate disparate identifiers to one or moreintegrated identifiers for the same customers, so that different datasources can be accessed with the integrated identifiers. The variousreconciliation methods will be further described below. In someembodiments, the integrated identifier management module 150 may beconfigured to access and/or obtain data from internal credit database172, credit databases 162, non-credit databases 192, or a combination ofinternal credit database 172, credit databases 162 and non-creditdatabases 192.

In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodiedin hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions,possibly having entry and exit points, written in a programminglanguage, such as, for example, Java, Lua, C or C++. A software modulemay be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in adynamic link library, or may be written in an interpreted programminglanguage such as, for example, BASIC, Perl, or Python. It will beappreciated that software modules may be callable from other modules orfrom themselves, and/or may be invoked in response to detected events orinterrupts. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such asan EPROM. It will be further appreciated that hardware modules may becomprised of connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and/ormay be comprised of programmable units, such as programmable gate arraysor processors. The modules described herein are preferably implementedas software modules, but may be represented in hardware or firmware.Generally, the modules described herein refer to logical modules thatmay be combined with other modules or divided into sub-modules despitetheir physical organization or storage.

Providing Access to Non-Regulated and Regulated Data Sources

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a system for providing and utilizingintegrated identifiers according to one embodiment. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2A, a data user 200 can access various data sources provided by oneor more data provider 250 (e.g., a credit bureau), includingnon-regulated data 202 and regulated data 246. As depicted in thefigure, the data user 200 may operate a Non-Regulated ProductApplication 210, a Regulated Product Application 236, and/or a CustomerManagement System 234. The data user 200 may use the integratedidentifiers throughout its applications and systems to refer toindividuals or businesses, and use the same integrated identifiers toaccess regulated and non-regulated data provided by the data provider250. In one or more embodiments, the reconciliation mechanisms employedby the data provider 250 eliminate the need for the data user 200 tomaintain separate identifiers for regulated and non-regulated data forthe same individuals or businesses.

Non-Regulated Data Sources

In one embodiment, the Non-Regulated Product Application 210 is taskedwith accessing non-regulated data. For example, if the data user 200 isa credit card company, the Non-Regulated Product Application 210 mayhandle the tasks of gathering data to find prospective customers,verifying information relating those prospective customers, andpre-qualifying selected prospective customers for credit card offers. Inone or more of these tasks, the Non-Regulated Product Application 210accesses a Non-Regulated Data Delivery System 212, which serves as aninterface to a number of databases containing non-regulated data sources202 from which data may be accessed, acquired and/or verified. In one ormore embodiments, the Non-Regulated Data Delivery System 212 is operatedby the data provider 250.

Among non-regulated data sources 202 may be a CDI Consumer Database 216,which may serve as the primary data source for the Non-Regulated DataDelivery System 212 in one embodiment. The CDI Consumer Database 216 mayalso serve as the primary database in which the data user 200 correlatesits customer data with other sources of non-regulated data. In oneembodiment, CDI Consumer Database 216 stores a history of data pointsfor the individual consumers identified. The data points may beretrieved from qualified data sources so that the CDI Consumer Database216 provides consistent and accurate information about consumers. Forexample, the Non-Regulated Product Application 210 may send informationof a prospective customer to the Non-Regulated Data Delivery System 212to request a lookup of the prospective customer in one or more of thenon-regulated data sources 202. The Non-Regulated Data Delivery System212 may attempt to locate the prospective customer in the CDI ConsumerDatabase 216 using the received information. The Non-Regulated DataDelivery System 212 may then return to the Non-Regulated ProductApplication 210 the non-regulated data identifier(s) of the matchedrecord(s) within the CDI Consumer Database 216, along with other datafrom data sources 202 that are associated with the particularprospective customer. In one embodiment, the returned data include thematched record for the customer in the CDI Consumer Database 216, the ID(the identifier) for the matched record in the CDI Consumer Database216, and/or other associated data records for that customer from otherdata sources 202. If no matches are found, a new non-regulated dataidentifier may be assigned and returned to the Non-Regulated ProductApplication 210. If multiple matches are found, the IdentifierReconciliation System 218 follows a reconciliation process that will befurther described in detail below. In one embodiment, IdentifierReconciliation System 218 may be implemented as the computing system100.

In one embodiment, the returned non-regulated data identifier serves asthe integrated identifier through which other applications and systemsof the data user 200 may access both regulated and non-regulated data.In some embodiments, the integrated identifiers can also access multiplesources of non-regulated data. In one embodiment, the returnedintegrated identifiers are saved in a Customer Database 238. In oneembodiment, one integrated identifier is returned for each individualcustomer. With reference to flow chart in FIG. 2B, which is discussed infurther detail below, the same returned identifiers are saved in aNon-Regulated Shadow Customer Database 214 in block 260 to facilitatethe process of identifier reconciliation. In one embodiment, theNon-Regulated Shadow Customer Database 214 mirrors at least a portion ofthe records stored in the Customer Database 238 and links the records tothe assigned integrated identifiers. An entry in the Non-RegulatedCustomer Shadow Database 214 may include a pairing of the customer'srecord in the customer database 238 with the non-regulated identifierthat has been returned the customer.

Regulated Data Sources

Embodiments also provide methods and systems that enable data users toaccess regulated data sources with the identifiers that have beenassigned as the integrated identifiers, which may also be used foraccessing non-regulated data. In one embodiment, a Regulated DataDelivery System 222 provides an interface for accessing regulated datasources 246. For example, the Regulated Data Delivery System 222 mayreceive queries from the Regulated Product Application 236 to obtaincredit reports for credit applicants. In one or more embodiments, theRegulated Data Delivery System 222 implements one or more rules toensure that access to the regulated data sources complies withapplicable legal requirements.

In one embodiment, the Regulated Product Application 236 may forward tothe Regulated Data Delivery System 222 an identifier that has beenassigned as the integrated identified and previously returned by theNon-Regulated Data Delivery System 212, along with other query data(e.g., name, Social Security Number) for the retrieval of regulateddata. The Regulated Data Delivery System 222, may then access theregulated data sources, locate the records and the associated regulateddata identifiers that match the query data, and return them to theRegulated Product Application 236.

FIG. 2B is a flow diagram showing a method for reconciling integratedidentifiers according to one embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 2B,the lookup process may trigger (1) as shown in block 262, the creationof an entry in the Regulated Customer Shadow Database 248, and (2) asshown in block 274, the creation, within the Identifier ReconciliationSystem 218, of a linkage between the previously created entry in theRegulated Customer Shadow Database 218 and the corresponding entry inthe Regulated Customer Shadow Database 248. In one embodiment, theRegulated Shadow Customer Database 248 mirrors at least a portion of therecords stored in the Customer Database 238 and links the records to thelocated regulated data identifiers. In one embodiment, the linkage iscreated using a set of reconciliation rules as further described below.An entry in the Regulated Customer Shadow Database 248 may include apairing of the customer's record in the customer database 238 with theregulated identifier for the customer. In one embodiment, the RegulatedCustomer Shadow Database 248 and the Non-Regulated Customer ShadowDatabase 214 may be implemented as distinct tables or data structureswithin one database.

As shown also by blocks 270 and 272 in FIG. 2B, the process of creatingthe linkage may occur in a different order if the data user accessesregulated data first and subsequently accesses non-regulated data. Inone embodiment, this order is an alternative method of execution to thatwhich is depicted in blocks 260 and 262. In this situation, a lookup ofthe non-regulated data source may be needed in block 270 to retrieve anon-regulated data identifier and provide it to the data user 200. Inanother embodiment, blocks 270 and 272 may take place concurrently withblocks 260 and 262, or before or after blocks 260 and 262.

Identifier Reconciliation

In one embodiment, the Identifier Reconciliation System 218 includes theintegrated identifier management module 150 (from FIG. 1) thatreconciles identifiers for regulated and non-regulated data. Asdescribed above, the Non-Regulated Shadow Database 214 and the RegulatedShadow Database 248 each keeps a shadow copy of the records in theCustomer Database 238 with different identifiers. Hence, data accessesby the data user to various data sources with the integrated identifiersneed to be reconciled or resolved properly. In one embodiment, thenon-regulated data identifiers are used as the integrated identifiers,which are used in the Customer Database 238 and the Non-Regulated ShadowDatabase 214. In one embodiment, the regulated data identifiers are usedin the Regulated Shadow Database 248.

In one embodiment, the reconciliation module reconciles identifiers forregulated and non-regulated data. In one embodiment, the integratedidentifier management module 150 may follow one or more business rulesin its reconciliation process. The rules account for the possibilitythat there may be one-to-one, many-to-one, or many-to-manycorrespondences between records in non-regulated data sources and thosein regulated data sources. The rules may include one or more of thefollowing:

(A) For the condition where a regulated data identifier (e.g., a uniquePIN assigned by a credit bureau) is matched to a non-regulated dataidentifier (which may be used as the integrated identifier as describedabove), the link between the regulated data identifier and thenon-regulated data identifier may be created and maintained in a datalinkage table without additional processing.

(B) For the condition where multiple regulated data identifiers arematched to one non-regulated data identifier, the following rules may beused. (1) If the regulated identifiers are deemed indicative ofduplicate data records in a regulated database, the IdentifierReconciliation System 218 may initiate an inquiry to the data user totrigger a merge of the multiple duplicative regulated data identifiersin the regulated database. (2) However, if data management mechanismassociated with the regulated database does not allow such a merge, thennew non-regulated identifiers may be created for each unique regulateddata identifier.

(C) For the condition where multiple non-regulated data identifiers arematched to one regulated data identifier, the multiple non-regulateddata identifiers may be merged into one inquiry at the CDI ConsumerDatabase 216 in one embodiment and a resolution process is then executedto identify a resulting non-regulated data identifier that will beassigned to the credit data identifier.

(D) For the condition where a non-regulated data identifier does notmatch any regulated data identifier, an error message may be output formanual research & resolution. In some embodiments, a regulated dataidentifier may be created for the non-regulated data identifier.

(E) For the condition where a regulated data identifier does not matchany non-regulated data identifiers, a new non-regulated data identifiermay be created for the individual identified by the regulated dataidentifier. The non-regulated data identifier may be marked as privatedata, so that it is visible only to the data user that is requesting thereconciliation.

(F) For the condition where multiple regulated data identifiers matchmultiple non-regulated data identifiers, in one embodiment, the systemis configured to follow the above rules regarding many-to-onecorrespondences.

It is to be understood that the above rules are implemented in one ormore embodiments, for example, in embodiments where FCRA and/or GLBregulated data are used. Other embodiments, such as those in thehealthcare context, may use different rules. In addition, thereconciliation rules used in various embodiments of the invention may beupdated to ensure continued compliance with changing laws andregulations. In one or more embodiments, the Identifier ReconciliationSystem 218 is configured to periodically check a data source thatprovides a set of updated rules. Finally, although the examples abovedescribe regulated and non-regulated data, the integrated identifiersare not so limited may be used to provide access todifferently-regulated data, e.g. two or more sources of differentlyregulated data.

Identifier Resolution

With the linkage in place, the Identifier Reconciliation System 218provides identifier resolution so that the data user 200 can access bothregulated and non-regulated data with the integrated identifier. Forexample, the data user 200 may operate a Customer Management System 234that handles tasks such as account creation and account maintenance. TheCustomer Management System 234 interacts with a Customer Data UpdateSystem 232, which manages transactions by also utilizing the IdentifierReconciliation System 218.

FIG. 2C is a flow diagram showing a method for resolving integratedidentifiers according to one embodiment. An example of an identifierresolution process is described below with reference to FIG. 2C. Such anexample may entail the creation of a new customer account. The CustomerManagement System 234 may create the new account in the CustomerDatabase 238 with the integrated identifier. Then, in block 278, theCustomer Data Update System 232 may receive, from the CustomerManagement System 234, the new account information along with theintegrated identifier associated with the new customer, both of whichmay be passed to the Identifier Reconciliation System 218. TheIdentifier Reconciliation System 218 may then look up the appropriateentries in the linkage table in block 280. The lookup may resolve toidentifiers usable for either an update to the Non-Regulated ShadowCustomer Database 214 and/or the Regulated Shadow Customer Database 248,along with actual updates to the appropriate regulated or non-regulateddata sources (blocks 282, 284, 286, and 288).

In one or more embodiments, systems 212, 222, and 232 may be part of theIdentifier Reconciliation System 218, which serves as a central accesspoint of any data applications of the data user. In addition, althoughthe examples described above describe accessing data in individualtransactions, systems 212, 222, and 232 in one or more embodiments maybe configured to support batch processing where data records areprocessed in accordance with the mechanisms described above in batches.

Description of Other Embodiments Applied to Specific Contexts

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment as applied in the credit context. A data user300 can access various databases provided by a data provider 350, forexample, a credit bureau, including non-regulated data 302 and regulateddata 346 through the use of integrated identifiers. Non-regulated data302 may include CDI data and other related data, while regulated data346 may include credit data, including credit data used for accountreview purposes. As depicted in the figure, the data user may operate aCustomer Acquisition System 310, which handles the task of acquiring newcustomers. For example, if the data user is a credit card company,Customer Acquisition System 310 may handle the tasks of gathering datato locate prospective customers, verifying information relating thoseprospective customers, and qualifying selected prospective customers forcredit card offers. In another example, if the data user is a utilitycompany, the Customer Acquisition System 310 may be used to determine acustomer's eligibility to receive services. In the healthcare setting,the Customer Acquisition System 310 may be used by a healthcare providerto admit new patients.

In one or more of these tasks, the Customer Acquisition System 310 mayaccess a Consumer Data Delivery System 312, which serves as an interfaceto a number of databases containing non-regulated data sources 302 fromwhich data may be acquired and/or verified. In one or more embodiments,the Consumer Data Delivery System 312 is operated by the data provider350.

Non-Regulated Data Sources

Among database sources 302 may be a CDI Consumer Database 316, which mayserve as the primary data source for the Consumer Data Delivery System312. The CDI Consumer Database 316 may also serve as the primarydatabase in which the data user 300 correlates its customer data withother sources of data. For example, as shown in process “A,” theCustomer Acquisition System 310 may, upon the receipt of information offor a prospective customer “Customer A” (e.g., name and address), sendthe received prospective customer information to the Consumer DataDelivery System 312 to request a lookup of “Customer A” in thenon-regulated data sources 302. In one embodiment, as shown in process“B,” the Consumer Data Delivery System 312 attempts to locate “CustomerA” in the CDI Consumer Database 316 using the received information, andreturn, to the Customer Acquisition System 310, the customer data ID(s)of the matched record(s) for “Customer A” within the CDI ConsumerDatabase 316, along with other data from data sources 302 that areassociated with “Customer A.”

Non-regulated data sources 302 may include a government database such asone managed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and a frauddatabase such as the National Fraud Database. For example, if the datauser 300 is a credit card company, the returned information from the CDIConsumer Database and/or other related non-regulated data sources maycontain information related to the prospective customer that can helpthe credit card company assess the type of products in which theprospective customer may be interested, and/or whether the prospectivecustomer may be a high fraud risk. In one embodiment, the customer dataID from the CDI Consumer Database 316 is returned to the data user 300and saved in the customer database 338. The customer data ID for“Customer A” is then used as the integrated identifier to access bothregulated and non-regulated information. In the example of “Customer A,”the result may be that he or she becomes pre-approved based on theinformation received. Both the Non-Regulated Shadow Customer Database314 and the Customer Database 338 may be updated to reflect that“Customer A” has been pre-approved and that an integrated identifier hasbeen assigned to him or her.

In one or more embodiments, a list of prospective customers may beprovided by the Customer Acquisition System 310 to the Consumer DataDelivery System 312, which in turn may locate data records for the listof prospective customers from among the non-regulated data sources 302.In addition, the Consumer Data Delivery System 312 may also query theNon-Regulated Shadow Customer Database 314 to check if any of theprospective customers are already existing customers of the data user300.

Although a number of modules depicted include the term “consumer,”embodiments provide the same data management capability for data usersthat manage business customers. Thus, in one or more embodiments, theConsumer Data Delivery System 312 may access a CDI Business Databaseinstead of or in addition to the CDI Consumer Database 316.

Regulated Data Sources

Embodiments also provide methods and systems for data users to accessregulated data sources. As shown in process “C,” the Consumer CreditOnline System 322 may receive credit queries from the CustomerAcquisition System 310. In one embodiment, the Consumer Credit OnlineSystem 322 interfaces with regulated data sources 346 such as a ConsumerCredit Database 348. Using the “Customer A” example, after receiving apre-approval notice, “Customer A” may submit a credit application to thedata user 300. The Consumer Credit Online System 322 may then receivequeries from the Customer Acquisition System 310 to obtain creditreports for “Customer A,” under the permissible purpose of determiningcredit-worthiness, for example. In the process “D,” “Customer A's”credit reports are obtained from a Consumer Credit Database 348. Theretrieved reports are then returned to the data user 300.

The data user 300 may also operate a Customer Management System 334 thathandles tasks such as account creation and account maintenance. Trackingalong with the example, if the returned credit reports are satisfactory,“Customer A” may be approved for a new account and the CustomerManagement System 334 may handle the creation of the account. As shownin process “E,” the Customer Management System 334 may send “CustomerA's” new account information along with the assigned integratedidentifier to a Customer Update System 332, which manages additions andupdates in one embodiment via an Identifier Reconciliation System 318.The Customer Management System 334 may forward the integrated identifierin the process “F” to the Identifier Reconciliation System 318, and theidentifier reconciliation process as shown in FIG. 2B may be triggeredso that the Non-Regulated Shadow Customer Database 314, the RegulatedShadow Customer Database 352, and/or other databases are updated. TheCustomer Data Update System may also receive updates from the CustomerManagement System 334 reflecting changes in the Customer Database 338.In one embodiment, the updates are sent with the integrated identifiers,which are resolved in accordance to the resolution process shown inFIGS. 2A and 2C, so that the appropriate shadow databases and/orregulated or non-regulated data sources are updated. In one embodiment,the updates can be processed in by transaction or in a batch mode.

The data user 300 may also operate an Account Review System 336 thatforwards customer information along with the integrated identifiers tothe counterpart Account Review System 342 of the data provider 350, asshown in process “G.” For example, if the data user 300 is a credit cardcompany, the information may include account numbers. In one embodiment,the account numbers and identifiers are then sent to the IdentifierReconciliation System 318, as shown in process “H.” The IdentifierReconciliation System 318 may then resolve to the proper regulatedidentifiers based on its linkage table and then access the ConsumerCredit Database 348 to obtain data records needed for the accountreview. The results are then returned to the Account Review System 336.

CONCLUSION

All of the methods described herein may be performed and fully automatedby a computer system. The computer system may, in some cases, becomposed by multiple distinct computers or computing devices (e.g.,physical servers, workstations, storage arrays, etc.) that communicateand interoperate over a network to perform the described functions. Eachsuch computing device typically includes a processor (or multipleprocessors) that executes program instructions stored in a memory. Theresults of the disclosed methods may be persistently stored bytransforming physical storage devices, such as solid state memory chipsand/or magnetic disks, into a different state.

In addition, all of the methods/processes described above may beembodied in, and fully automated via, software code modules executed byone or more general purpose computers. The code module may be stored inany type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device.Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specializedcomputer hardware. As will be apparent, the features, and attributes ofthe specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in differentways to form additional embodiments, all of which are fall within thescope of the present disclosure. Although this disclosure has beendescribed in terms of certain preferred embodiments and applications,other embodiments and applications that are apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art, including embodiments which do not provideall of the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within thescope of this disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure isintended to be defined only by reference to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by a computingsystem including one or more computer processors, an integrated dataidentifier specific to an entity from a data user, wherein theintegrated data identifier is linked to a first data identifier and asecond data identifier associated with the entity, wherein the data userand the entity are different; applying one or more reconciliation rulesto reconcile the integrated data identifier with the first dataidentifier and the integrated data identifier with the second dataidentifier, wherein the one or more reconciliation rules account forcorrespondence between regulated and unregulated data items;identifying, by the computing system, the first data identifier and thesecond data identifier based on the received integrated data identifierand the applied one or more reconciliation rules; accessing, by thecomputing system, one or more first data items corresponding to theentity in a first data store using the first data identifier; accessing,by the computing system, one or more second data items corresponding tothe entity in a second data store using the second data identifier,wherein the one or more first data items are associated with firstaccess rights different than second access rights associated with theone or more second data items; and transmitting the one or more firstdata items and the one or more second data items to the data user;wherein the integrated data identifier provides the data user withaccess to: the one or more first data items of the entity from the firstdata store according to the first access rights and without the datauser using the first data identifier; and the one or more second dataitems of the entity from the second data store according to the secondaccess rights, without the data user using the second data identifier,wherein the first data store and the second data store are different. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first access rightsand the second access rights include legal restrictions forbiddinglinkage of the one or more first data items in direct association withthe one or more second data items.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein theone or more first data items comprise credit data items and the seconddata items comprise marketing data items.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the one or more first data items comprise the regulated dataitems that are subject to regulations on access.
 5. The method of claim4, wherein the one or more second data items comprise the unregulateddata items that are not subject to regulations on access.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the entity comprises a person.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the entity comprises a business.
 8. The method of claim1, wherein the first data identifier each associated with the entitycomprises a first data identifier associated with a business and thesecond data identifier each associated with the entity comprises asecond data identifier associated with an individual.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the integrated data identifier does not includepersonally identifiable information of the entity.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the integrated data identifier comprises a medicalrecord number of the entity.
 11. A system for providing integratedidentifiers comprising: a computing device in communication with a firstdata store of a first third party entity storing a first data identifierassociated with respective one or more first data items of respectiveentities and a second data store of a second third party entity storinga second data identifier associated with respective one or more seconddata items of respective entities, wherein the one or more first dataitems are subject to different access rights than the one or more seconddata items, and the first data store is a separate and distinct datastore from the second data store, the computing device comprising anintegrated identifier module configured to: receive an integrated dataidentifier specific to an entity from a data user, wherein theintegrated data identifier is linked to a first data identifier and asecond data identifier associated with the entity, wherein the data userand the entity are different; apply one or more reconciliation rules toreconcile the integrated data identifier with the first data identifierand the integrated data identifier with the second data identifier,wherein the one or more reconciliation rules account for correspondencebetween regulated and unregulated data items; identify the first dataidentifier and the second data identifier based on the receivedintegrated data identifier and the applied one or more reconciliationrules; access one or more first data items corresponding to the entityin a first data store using the first data identifier; accessing one ormore second data items corresponding to the entity in a second datastore using the second data identifier, wherein the one or more firstdata items are associated with first access rights different than secondaccess rights associated with the one or more second data items; andtransmitting the one or more first data items and the one or more seconddata items to the data user, wherein the integrated data identifierprovides the data user access to: the one or more first data items ofthe entity according to first access rights; and the one or more seconddata items of the entity according to second access rights, wherein theintegrated data identifier provides the data user access without usingthe first data identifier or the second data identifier.
 12. The systemof claim 11, wherein the one or more first data items comprise theregulated data and the one or more second data items comprise theunregulated data records.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the one ormore first data items comprise credit data items and the one or moresecond data items comprise non-credit data items.
 14. The system ofclaim 11, wherein at least one of the first access rights and the secondaccess rights include legal restrictions forbidding linkage of the oneor more first data items in direct association with the one or moresecond data items.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or morefirst data items comprise credit data items and the one or more seconddata items comprise marketing data items.
 16. The system of claim 11,wherein the one or more first data items comprise data items that aresubject to regulations on access.
 17. The system of claim 16, whereinthe one or more second data items comprise data items that are notsubject to regulations on access.
 18. The system of claim 11, whereinthe entity comprises a person.
 19. The system of claim 11, wherein theentity comprises a business.